DISSERTATION RESEARCH: A phylogenetic study of speciation in whirligig beetles

金龟子（学名：Whirligig beetles）是一种水生金龟子，约有1,000种。所有的旋转甲虫生活方式非常相似，但表现出巨大的形态多样性。什么能解释这个甲虫家族中物种的多样性，它们的行为和生活方式都很相似？本研究试图确定繁殖性状的选择是否是导致其物种多样性的主要因素。 这项调查将研究这些甲虫的许多生殖选择特征，然后使用系统发育树，比较相关的群体，看看是否有更多物种的分支也显示出更多的选择特征。要研究的特征之一是精子的形状。金龟子精子形态多样，这一群体精子的重建进化将与物种形成率进行比较。长期以来，生殖性状的选择一直被认为是创造新物种的强大力量。然而，支持这一观点的研究很少着眼于大的进化尺度。对这一组精子的研究可以用来测试以前建立的关于精子和雌性生殖道共同进化的假设，以及了解旋转甲虫精子的多样性，包括几种类型的接合和各种大小。 本计画将训练研究生学习进化生物学，并指导数位本科生学习系统学与节肢动物管理。经鉴定的标本将在新墨西哥大学登记，并列入一个可公开访问的数据库，以加强研究和教育的基础设施。

Whirligig beetles are a family of aquatic beetles containing approximately 1,000 species. All whirligig beetles live in very similar ways, yet exhibit a great morphological diversity. What can explain the diversity of species in this family of beetles, who all behave and live in similar ways? This research attempts to establish if selection on reproductive traits has been a major factor in the evolution of this group leading to its diversity of species. The investigation will look at numerous reproductively selected features in these beetles, then using a phylogenetic tree, compare related groups to see if branches of the tree with more species, also show a larger number of selected traits. One of the traits to be studied is sperm shape. Whirligig beetle sperm show a diversity of forms and the reconstructed evolution of sperm in this group will be compared to the rate of speciation. Selection on reproductive traits has long been promoted as a powerful force for creating new species. However, few studies supporting this idea have looked at large evolutionary scales. The study of sperm within this group can be used to test previously established hypotheses about sperm and female reproductive tract co-evolution, as well as make known the diversity of whirligig beetle sperm, including several types of conjugation and a variety of sizes. This project will train graduate student in evolutionary biology and this student will mentor several undergraduate students in systematics and arthropod curation. Identified specimens will be accessioned at UNM and included in a publicly accessible database enhancing infrastructure for research and education.